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USS Lucid News

Set Condition One Mike

Set Condition One Mike is dedicated to the IRON MEN who served aboard USS Pluck MSO 464

Condition One Mike

"Condition One Mike" (Cond1 M) is a special type of General quarters aboard Ocean Going Minesweepers. The ship is at full alert and all battle stations are manned. The crew is deployed about the weather decks, the only persons left inside the skin of the ship being the helmsman and lee helmsmen. Bed mattresses are placed on the overhead of the pilot house for the benefit of those two crewmen in the event of a mine detonation too close to the ship. The deck crew is stationed on the fantail and tasked with deploying and recovering the sweep gear. This is hazardous duty, a mixture of some of the same hazards found on flight decks, with wires under high tension and sailors working in very close proximity to such wires, explosive cutter cartridges which have to be armed one at a time as they are set out and disarmed before being brought back on board , often by a Boatswain's mate or Gunner's mate hanging over the very ass end by a safety harness. They are armed and disarmed with a small cotter pin similar to a hand grenade. The whole scene is very similar to the modern TV show "Deadliest catch", but the crab pods are mine sweeping devices, and the "catch" are big round and cylindrical BOMBS capable of sinking an aircraft carrier.

Magnetic Material Control is Everybody's Business

Sign on the door of the combat information center aboard the USS Pluck MSO 464

Gally Watch Captain

Monterey bay California 1982

About Me

I was a gally watch captain, ship's baker, and jack of the dust aboard USS Pluck, MSO 464,between December 1981 and August 1985 and these are reflections of what I remember during the 4 years I served aboard the best minesweeper in the fleet. She is gone now, but the memories are still as raw as the smell of freshly stirred bilge gas mixing with stack fumes as we hit the first swell at Point Loma and I still go there in my sleep.